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Community Peacemaker Award Breakfast
 Thursday, October 11th, 2012 - The Peacemaker Program Inc., will be holding our First Community Peacemakers Award Breakfast. An elegant buffet will be served at the Radisson Hotel at 7:30am. The event will honor those dedicated individuals who are exceptional all year long, and who make our agency's mission possible. The breakfast is free for volunteers, who may invite as many others as they wish at only $20.00 each. Tables of ten are available for $175.00. Please phone at 315-724-1718, or may register for the event online.
Peacemaker Volunteer Award Recipients
Sally Townsend, Jack Klump, Tracy Murphy,
Sue Gustafson and Patrick O’Connor Court Person of the Year Award – Melinda Walsh
New this year we will be presenting our
"Community Peacemaker Award"
After receiving several worthy nominations from the public the nominating committee chose Maria Elena Santos LCSW as our first Community Peacemaker Award recipient.
Congratulations Maria Elena Santos
Mary Gordon Hayes' letter nominating Maria Elena was profound and well written:
"Maria has spent the past 19 years building the foundation for a more peaceful community. As a social worker with Young Scholars, in partnership with Family Services and the Center for Family Life and Recovery, she has given hundreds of students the tools to navigate through life’s challenges. She has provided and continues to provide, individual counseling to students, as well as support for families during and after stressful times. The families then continue to develop the resources Maria has identified and are better able to work as a positive family unit.
Some of Maria’s most impactful work has been performed at Donovan Middle School in Utica where she runs an after school anger management group, open to all students, which helps children learn how to handle the very normal emotion of anger in ways that lead to positive solutions. By teaching a child at age 12 how to be a more peaceful person, our community becomes a more peaceful place for years to come.
Maria has been a driving force for the long-term Young Scholars mentoring program that has given many students a connection not only to their mentor, but to their community. She further strengthens that connection by supporting the students’ involvement in community service activities. Maria teaches by example; working with the students at community service events providing transportation and making sure all feel welcome and comfortable in new and often strange environments. All of her actions have a life-long influence on the students and their families.
A connection to community, skills to work toward positive and peaceful outcomes, all given by an honest, caring and kind person. Our community is a better place because we have Maria."
CASA

The Peacemaker Program welcomes Ruth Concepcion as a new CASA volunteer!! Thanks Ruth...these kids need people like you.
We are please and proud to announce that through the diligent efforts of our CASA Advocates two more children have been adopted and now have safe, permanent and loving home. If you would like to know more about the Court Appointed Special Advocate program, visit our website.
CASA of Oneida and Herkimer Counties is accepting money donations or crayons, coloring books, board games, arts and craft items, gift cards or make-up to gift to children and families who are in the adoption process. We have, thus far, 12 families that have adopted. Donations are needed by Friday, November 9. You can contact us at the Peacemaker Program for more information. Thank you in advance.
We will be holding CASA volunteer training starting in November.
The training will include:
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independent home study with 4 sessions
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14 hours of in-house training
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4 hours of family court observation
Our selection process requires:
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3 reference checks
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NYS Child Abuse Registry clearance
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Criminal history background check
Please go to our website to fill out the application.
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SHHouT oUT
To our newest mediators!!
Benjamin Boucher Kitty Cully
Kimberly Farrell Marcia Guzewich Shafer Lewis
Age Lisi Dominic Piccininni Beverly Quist Mark Thomas Ashleigh Wade
Conflict BuZz
The Peacemaker Program took Paths to Resolution on the road to The Guidance Center in Detroit MI. Training others to help youth resolve conflict. Stay tuned for further partnering with this agency!!
Conflict Tip►
Body language controls over 40% of a conflict. Closed body language escalates an argument. Open body language deescalates a conflict.
Open arms, raise head, smile...but not an "I'ma gonna rip your head off smile." just sayin'
"Quotables"
"Conflict is the beginning of consciousness."
M. Ester Harding
Meet da Family
Bert and Ernie appear in the Paths to Resolution Interactive PC Game.

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